This scenario is becoming more commonplace. In fact, disaster occurrences are on the rise. But so are the number of non-profit organizations, church groups, and civic volunteers who are interested in, even passionate about responding to the needs of disaster victims. For all these reasons Micah Flint, INMED’s Chief Programs Officer, envisioned a series of events to prepare non-government organizations.

First up is INMED Crisis Response Training on March 16. This interdenominational, nondenominational event will equip individuals and volunteer organizations (both medical and non-medical) to apply best practices as they build resilience in their communities and to respond to disaster events. This hands-on training program is designed for participates to learn and then to do.

I am encouraged over the heart-felt anticipation expressed by Crisis Response Training participants. And next time such a disaster strikes close to home, my own sense of frustration should be supplanted by the anticipation of our well planned reaction.

• Identification of core curriculum and competencies across diverse institutions, accessible resources, and individual expectations
• Development of suitable partnerships with healthcare leaders in low-resource communities for the purposes of learning, service, and research
• Identification of qualified faculty for mentorship roles

For the last months INMED and I have been diligently developing the new Accreditation Council for International Healthcare Education (ACIHE). The intent is both to applaud the value of service to marginalized people and to provide useful guidelines and accountability to institutions developing educational programs for the benefit of such people.

Look in the very near future for ACIHE publications. I want to welcome healthcare educators from across the academic spectrum to join with INMED and I in this worthy endeavor.

“You must help my baby now!” cried Amanda German. Moments after the strike she screeched to a stop at the stricken ER. Dr Kikta examined the child and found a deep chunk of his neck muscle torn away exposing bones in the boy’s spine. “You’re going to be OK, buddy,” Kikta told the boy, applying pressure to his bleeding wound. Then the doctor looked around himself, doubtfully. Rain was pouring in, the lights were out, natural gas sickened the air. Kikta realized a spark could cause the hospital to blow.

The next hours witnessed a massive response that alleviated Dr. Kikta’s worst fears. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon: “The response from Kansas City (the closest metro area) to help the people of Joplin is tremendous. Along side public safety agencies, several faith-based organizations are putting their faith into action.”

The Joplin catastrophe caused more deaths than any tornado in United States history. With disasters due to fire, flood, hurricane, heat, blizzard, and explosion predictably common, public disaster managers increasingly recognize the critical role played by non-government bodies. Regarding Joplin, Richard Serino, the Deputy Administrator of FEMA, noted “84 different volunteer groups served 134,000 meals and gave 275,000 hours of service with 41,000 volunteers. Who organized them? “Not FEMA,” Serino said. “Other volunteer organizations.”

Is your faith-based community or civic organization prepared for the next local disaster? Have you appointed leaders, organized teams, trained your personnel, and pre-arranged necessary equipment and supplies? What steps have you taken to become recognized and welcomed to participate in crisis response?

Anticipatory action is essential. For this reason, INMED is offering a Crisis Response Training event on Friday, March 16 to addresses emergency sheltering, feeding, emotional services, volunteer safety, and more. This opportunity will help your team leap into action when calamity strikes and another mother cries “You have to help my baby now!”

I was reminded of John recently when I discovered that his grandson is one of the students in my public health class at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine.  What is so very striking to me about John Testrake is that he was a man of faith, fulfilling his ‘routine’ duties, when suddenly called upon to lead with wisdom and valor. Whether negotiating with terrorists, traversing the African outback, or confronting any of a myriad of challenges, may you and I do so with wisdom and valor.

But people of vision and integrity are constantly under fire, tempted to compromise or become distracted. From where will we draw courage and conviction? I personally find the account of Daniel’s life to be particularly inspiring, and I trust you will as well:

“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.” Daniel 6:3-4

In 2012 may you and I be people of integrity like Daniel!

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, stranger, sick, or in prison?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me… For I was hungry, thirsty, stranger, sick, in prison… and you did not look after me.’

What is Jesus saying about the role of compassion, the spiritual significance of good works, and the window into our souls that is opened through evaluation of our personal actions?

A people group, or ethnic group, is a cluster of individuals whose members identify with each other through a common heritage, language, culture, and/or ideology. Why address people groups and not simply nations? For one, nations contain a broad mix of both advantaged people and disadvantaged ones. Effectively addressing the plight of the latter requires an understanding of their particular culture.

Who is taking advantage of this insight on behalf the worlds’ most poor? Let me introduce you to Doug Blackall. A former professor of pathology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, I met Doug when he participated in an INMED International Medicine Intensive Course – one that’s now offered each spring, summer, and fall. Doug explained following that training experience, “Because I now better understood the diseases of poverty my naturally hard heart softened a bit, and I was in a much better place to effectively serve those in need.”

Shortly thereafter, Doug and his family moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he today serves at Oasis Hospital. The UAE is known outwardly as a relatively wealthy nation. But like all well-to-do countries, including China from where I’m writing now, the UAE also hosts many foreign workers and people groups of lesser economic status like Iranians, Palestinians, and Jordanians. Such people receive quality care from Doug and his colleagues.

What people group is most distressed? Many are in peril: the Berbers of northern Africa, Kurdish of western Asia, and Miskito of Central America. Observing the lifestyle of Doug Blackall, we may do better to ask ourselves, “What will I do on behalf of people in distress?” and “How can I equip myself for this challenge?” How would you respond to such questions? I invite you to correspond with me on this subject. Please contact me via email to nicholas@inmed.us or via Facebook.

Example: Pengchu is a lady in her 70s. She lives in a ‘retirement center’ on a tiny pension provided by the government because her children have no interest in her. They never visit, and certainly never send money. Pengchu suffers from hypertension and diabetes, but never knew this until her retirement center - really only a dormitory - was visited by LIGHT. The resident physicians and their faculty tested her pressure and sugar, making the diagnoses. With treatment,  Pengchu’s prospect for a longer life is bright. Perhaps even more significantly, she is receiving previously unknown warmth and attention.

Fast forward to September, 2011, when Taylor’s great grandson, Hudson Taylor IV representing the same organization, spoke in Kansas City. A powerful oratory he delivered in flawless Mandarin. More profoundly, I was stuck again by the power of role models. Taylor continues to be extremely influential in my personal life. And a high priority for me is to be formative toward those who will follow me. And so the domino impact of role models continues.

In creating the INMED DIM&PH program we’ve aimed to dramatically cut the prohibitive cost and add a period of mentored service-learning. The outcome we anticipate is that greater numbers of well trained individuals will venture out in service on behalf of our most neglected neighbors.